


Rewriting the Memory of You

by ilikeshipping



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Post-Endgame, Time Travel, Tony and Peter have a little chat, but its twisted, endgame spoilers be aware!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-27
Updated: 2019-04-27
Packaged: 2020-02-07 10:09:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18618481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ilikeshipping/pseuds/ilikeshipping
Summary: Peter and Tony have a little chat. A chat with very little time.MAJOR ENDGAME SPOILERS STAY AWAY IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT!





	Rewriting the Memory of You

**Author's Note:**

> I AM SUFFERING SO I THOUGHT YOU ALL SHOULD SUFFER TOO

Peter’s hands shook as he added the final, tiny piece to his physics project; it was late, he had been at it for hours. Part of him felt disappointed that it only took him one day to finish off this tiny robot, it made him forget about the dark abyss filling his heart.

It had been a month and a half since Tony’s funeral.

He tried not to think about him, he really did. He hadn’t patrolled in the last two weeks, it hurt too much to even see the suit, let alone wear it and fight. Peter felt like he had gained everything back, at the greatest of costs. 

May came into his room twice a night, sometimes more, for when Peter yelled out for Tony in his dreams and thrashed around in his bed until his small frame was covered in sweat. She would hold him, cradle him in her arms, try to reassure him that everything was okay and that he was just dreaming. Peter wasn’t just dreaming though, he was reliving the same nightmare over and over; Tony’s body going limp and his eyes rolling into the back of his head. 

The day that Tony had died was the day May got him back, the day everyone was reunited with their loved ones. A day full of love, peace and gratitude. To Peter, it was just another day for feeling a tremendous loss. He thought he’d have been used to it by now. With Tony, it was different.

He was constantly reminded of Tony, whether it was seeing his name while scrolling through his phone contacts or when he passed an old unchanged billboard with his face plastered on it. He wasn’t here, but his legacy lived on to the point where Peter felt he’d never gain closure, he’d never be able to escape the thought of his death.

Peter rolled his chair back from his desk and ran his hands through his hair, exhaling a frustrated sigh – he couldn’t go five minutes without thinking about the light flickering out. He swivelled the chair to face his bunkbed; his suit had been slung onto the bottom bunk rather hastily, and it just lay there, almost mocking him. The idea then dawned on him.

Peter scrambled from the chair to grab his phone, to see if he still had Dr Bann- Hul- Bruce’s number (He’d never get used to that change). It was there, so he shot him a text, it was worth the risk.

A few weeks later, after his finals, Peter visited Bruce in his office, and it wasn’t the most graceful of meetings. What he was asking for was extremely dangerous. It was stupid, but if it meant he could gain closure- he was sure as hell going to try it. 

“You are NOT using the machine, Peter. You could get lost in the quantum realm or WORSE, get stuck in the past where you ABSOLUTELY should not be. You’d completely mess up the timeline we are in! That we worked so hard for. That Tony risked his life for.” Bruce said, exasperated. 

“I wouldn’t be going back for long and not to a time when there were any stakes. Just let me see him one more time. It won’t hurt, it would just be another day at the workshop for him! He wouldn’t know any different. You HAVE to let me try it.” Peter argued back, his palms sweating from nerves. He knew how risky it is, but he felt that he had to go back at least once to say what he needed to say.

Bruce gave Peter the most bewildered look and ran his hand over his face. 

“Fine. Don’t tell anyone I did this for you. I mean it, I shouldn’t even really have this here. I can’t bring myself to destroy it.”

“I promise I won’t! I’ll be fast! It won’t even be that long for you, maybe like 30 seconds?”

“Tony would kick my ass if he knew I was doing this” 

“He’ll never know” Peter said, a soft but sombre smile playing on his lips

Peter was suited up and briefed on how the machine worked and the rules that came along with time travel. Don’t get caught by anyone else, don’t act different and most of all don’t make Tony suspect that he’s from the future. 

“I’m ready, now, Dr Banner” Peter said finally, lifting his chin and mentally preparing himself for the journey. 

“Remember what I said, Kid.” He gave Peter a pointed look and flipped his glasses onto his face. 

“Initiating in 3…2…1-“

\--

He felt really weird when he emerged in the past – his head was fuzzy. He had travelled back to a time where he knew Tony would be in his workshop. He had told Dr Banner about the week that Tony practically lived inside his work shop. He implemented that date into the system.

Peter quickly adjusted to his surroundings, he was at the glass door leading to the workshop, and he could hear loud rock music and what sounded like singing. He smiled softly. 

He didn’t even think about the implications of opening the door and interacting with the past, he just did it anyway. He was about to see Tony again, nothing else really mattered.

He pushed open the glass door, and his breath halted, and he completed stopped in his tracks. There he was, just bent over one of the counters like he always was, tinkering with a piece of new technology he was creating that week. Peter felt nauseous.

The music turned off abruptly, shaking him from his trance, his eyes finally re-focussed and there he was, standing right in front of him, messy hair, oil on his old band tee and a screwdriver in his hand.

“Peter! It’s great to see you. Wanna join?” Tony smiled brightly at him and turned back around to face the bench. Peter exhaled the breath he didn’t even know he was holding and slowly made his way over to the bench. He was in disbelief that he was actually in this situation. 

“What are you making, Mr Stark?” Peter asked, timidly.

“Can’t tell you, kid. It’s in its early stages, and I don’t wanna jinx its success.” Tony continued to mess around with some screws on the small piece of metal he was working with. 

“Oh, we have also talked about not calling me Mr Stark, right?”

He finally looked back up to Peter and smiled. 

Tony then paused for a second, getting his first good look at the boy standing in front of him.

“You have gotten much taller since you were here, all of…” He trailed off, thinking. 

“4 and a half days, sir” Friday chimed in. 

“Thank you, Friday, - Yeah. You teens are crazy. Doing all that growing and shit.” 

Peter laughed at that. 

“Can I help with anything?” Peter asked, watching Tony as he scrambled around, grabbing different tiny tools.

“Nah, kid. I think I’m more or less done for the night. What brings you here so late?” Tony asked, looking intrigued.

“Uhh-“ Peter didn’t actually even know the exact timing of his arrival, so he just decided to wing it.

“I just wanted to get out for a while is all?” It sounded more like a question than an answer. 

“What’s up with you, kid? You’ve usually screamed about 40 different debate topics by this point and have asked me several different times if you could drive one of my cars. Wanna talk about it? Whatever it is?” Tony asked, his facial expression serious. 

Peter couldn’t hold it in any longer, he pounced forward toward Tony, pulling him in for a huge hug. Peter clung to him like he was going to turn to dust again.

“Wow- wha- Peter what is going on?” Tony choked.

“Thank you for everything, Tony. I’ve missed you so much” Peter whispered to him. He could feel his tears running down his face.

“Uh, kid. You know I’m not gonna hug you back, right? Especially when you are going all hormonal on me.” Tony laughed, but it sounded fake. 

Peter could hear the concern in his voice.

Peter held onto him tighter.

“I know. That’s okay.”

Tony didn’t say anything after that, he just kind of stood there, in Peter’s arms. When Peter finally pulled away, he could feel the fuzzy feeling return to his head, he had been there for too long and could feel that he was raising suspicion. Tony was too smart, he’d figure out that Peter looked much older and connect the dots. 

Peter pulled away and rubbed his face discretely. 

“I’m gonna go now, May will be wondering where I am.” Peter finally said after the small lull.

Tony still looked a little bewildered by Peter’s sudden hug and crossed his hands over his chest.

“You are such a weird kid, Peter Parker.” He smirked.

“I know. I think that’s why you like me though, right?” Peter teased.

“Don’t push it,” Tony said, pointing his finger at Peter and then laughing.

Peter took one last look at his gleaming smile, a smile that had suffered through so much in its lifetime. It belonged to the bravest, smartest, most kind man in the whole universe. That same universe wouldn’t be intact without him. His sacrifice, his bravery, it was a blessing Peter was glad to have gotten to know. Their brief few years together had changed Peter’s life forever. 

Peter gave one last smile to his mentor and turned on his heel and headed to the door, his eyes stinging, the same sadness he had felt before, crawling up his spine to reach his head.

“Goodnight, Tony. Thank you.” 

“Don’t mention it, kid. Be safe on your way home. I’ll see you soon.” 

Peter looked around one last time to see him leaning on the workbench, smirking. He could remember him differently now.   
Having to watch his chest piece light flicker out was one of the most traumatic things Peter had lived through. It felt like his heart would flicker out too. That painful memory would now be replaced by Tony standing in a place he wanted to be, a place he was content, with his stupid Metallica shirt on and tools in his pockets. Not iron man. Not the superhero. Just Tony.

Peter opened the door and walked out. 

He walked out on the most important chapter of his life and hit the device on his wrist, to return back to a reality where Tony did not exist.


End file.
